Programmable devices make great marketing tools. As is familiar today, applications can be programmed to cease to function upon expiration of a trial period or to disable certain functionalities. Often when a consumer purchases a computer, for example, the computer comes bundled with trial versions of software applications, such as anti-virus software or Internet software, which expire unless the full software application is purchased or subscribed to.
Of course, free merchandise is another great marketing tool. Companies often give away goods such as mouse pads, coffee mugs and key chains—goods that tend often to be within eyesight of a consumer, which bear the companies' logo, tagline, and contact information.
Cell-phones, personal data assistants (“PDAs”), and MP3 players are being distributed very broadly today and offer good marketing possibilities. Up until recently, though, the cost of goods for these devices was too high for companies to consider free distribution. Recently, however, it has become possible to manufacture MP3 players and similar devices at very low cost.
Thus a powerful opportunity has arisen for designing promotional MP3 players and similar devices, which leverage both the marketing advantages of programmable operation and the marketing advantages of free distribution.